Northern Sawatch OverviewThe northern Sawatch is a range of diversity. Whereas most of the Sawatch is comprised of big mountains with broad slopes and the occasional cliff band, the north end is more rugged. Cliff bands and deep, narrow cirques are the rule. The region is also blessed with water, and is generally one of the wettest spots in Colorado. Alpine lakes of considerable size dot the basins in abundance. The presence of so much water is largely attributable to the weather patterns that cross and often get caught in this area, thanks to the orientation of the mountains.
From just north of Mount Massive and Hagerman Pass, the Continental Divide extends north, then northeast along the ridge of a range that marks the southern most line of mountains in the northern Sawatch. This group of mountains, known to some as the Homestake Group, is one of five ranges that spread out like the outstretched fingers of one’s hand in northerly directions. This great fan of mountains is the culmination of the Sawatch range north terminus, and all of these finger ranges are within the protected and unbelievably beautiful Holy Cross Wilderness.
This complex group of mountains, with their rugged character, presents a considerable obstacle to the prevailing winds that carry storms from the west. Storms often slow down or stall over this formidable group of mountains, resulting is tremendous accumulations of snow in winter and torrential, long lasting downpours in summer. The result is a lush landscape buried in wildflowers and teaming with streams, lakes and abundant wildlife.
With exception of the range just north of Hagerman Pass and western aspects of the wilderness area, this region is popular with all types of outdoor lovers and many uses are employed. Because of the area’s showpiece, popular fourteener Mount of the Holy Cross, the Halfmoon Trailhead and East Cross Creek areas are subjected to overuse and are usually crowded on weekends. Most trails reached from eastern access points will be busy to some degree during warmer seasons, but western approaches see much less action.
Due to the abundance of water, the area has been under siege from population centers for years. To learn more about this potentially damaging problem, read further and check the links below.
Welcome to the Northern Sawatch, home of the spectacular Holy Cross Wilderness!
Looking north up the Cross Creek Drainages in the Holy Cross Wilderness
Photo by SP member colonelpyat
IMPRESSIVE BIG VERSION
 Spectacular and rugged western spur range above Lime Creek in the Holy Cross Wilderness
Photo by SP member colonelpyat
SPECTACULAR BIG VERSION MAP ! Ranked 13ers & 12welver of the Northern Sawatch RangeClick image for TOPO level 5 detail. You may have to expand the image. This is a huge map.
 Access
SOUTH ACCESS
Above timberline, the obscure summits along the Continental Divide can be reached from Hagerman Pass. Continuing west over the pass toward Ruedi Reservoir would provide longer southwest access to the region.
Forest Service Road 100 accesses the Homestake Group on Highway 24 1.5 miles southwest of Tennessee Pass.
EAST ACCESS-HOMESTAKE VALLEY
North of Leadville, and just north of Tennessee Pass on Highway 24 is the turn-off to the Homestake road. This road is an access to reservoirs at the head of the Homestake Valley, but also provides north aspect approaches to the Homestake Group as well as east and south approaches to the rest of the mountains within the Holy Cross Wilderness. Popular trailheads include Missouri Lakes, French Creek and Holy Cross City/Seven Sisters.
EAST ACCESS-TIGIWON ROAD
Provides access to the Halfmoon Trailhead via the Tigiwon Road (FSR707), three miles south of Minturn on Highway 24. Climbs of Notch Mountain and Mount of the Holy Cross are usually executed from here.
The Cross Creek Trailhead, located at a lower elevation along the road, provides access up Cross Creek for a long, low altitude journey into the heart of the wilderness, meeting up with the Missourri Lake to Fancy Pass trail at Treasure Vault Lake.
NORTH ACCESS-CROOKED CREEK
FSR400 heads south from Eagle into the heart of the region. This road connects with FSR105 near Ruedi Reservoir and provides access to western aspects of the wilderness. Includes access to the mountains around Upper Lime Creek.
FSR415 departs at Crooked Creek Pass 10 miles south of Eagle, leading 6 miles to the Fulford Cave Campground and the East Brush Creek trailhead. This route accesses Gold Dust Peak, Pike Peak, Fools Peak and New York Mountain, as well as Lake Charles and Mystic Island Lake, popular hiking and fishing destinations.
Recommended US Geological Survey 7.5 minute topographical maps:
Mount Jackson
Mount of the Holy Cross
Homestake Reservoir
Nast
Red TapeSP member chicagotransplant has added this information: The forest service closes several trails and areas in the Northern Sawatch annually for elk calving habitat. Most closures occur between May 1 and July 1, check with the Forest Service at the Minturn Ranger Station (970) 827-5715 for current conditions before heading out. These closures include the Tigiwon Road which provides access to Mount of The Holy Cross. Thanks!
Several Colorado wilderness areas now require a free user permit to be in the wilderness, or shortly will require same. The wilderness areas are Holy Cross, Maroon Bells/Snowmass, Mount Evans, and Mount Massive. Permit tags are available at trailheads and are a two part tag. The white part goes in the box provided and the card portion is to be attached to the outside of your pack. There is currently no penalty if one does not have a permit. However, large fines could be levied within a few years for non-compliance. The preferred method now for dealing with violations is education of the users.
The reason for implementation of this required permit is the Forest Service has been unable to obtain accurate data on use patterns from the voluntary sign-in system. The estimated compliance range is currently 10-30%.
The hope is to obtain better data with this new method. While some may feel this is a precursor of some kind of quota system, the opposite is actually true. Accurate information on visitor use patterns will allow the forest service to attempt to evenly distribute impacts and encourage use of alternate trailheads for the same destinations. However, given the magnitude of the state's continuing population boom, folks should not be surprised if quotas in certain areas become a necessity.
Thanks to SP member mtnhiker13 for supplying this vital update via the Colorado Mountain Club's email service.
Specific information can be viewed here.
Most of this area is in the Holy Cross Wilderness, part of the White River National Forest. Please observe wilderness protocols while visiting, particularly since this is a very popular, heavily impacted area. Please register at the trailhead.
FEE SYSTEM ALERT
The Holy Cross Wilderness is not currently subject to the RAT fee system at this time. Below is information pertaining to the national fee system in place in various areas throughout the nation. In an effort to keep you informed on this matter (as it could one day impact Holy Cross), this information emains posted on this page.
BAD NEWS!
The Fee Program became law December 6, 2004!
Mount Sneffels and other mountains surrounding Yankee Boy Basin were subjected to a "test" of the demo fee system in recent years. Despite vehement opposition, the bill was passed anyway. However, the fee system was removed from Mount Sneffels and its neighboring peaks due to heavy local resistance.
This fee program was sponsored by Ralph Regula, from Ohio. The bill was pushed through as an omnibus (a rider, piggybacking other bills). This is also referred to as "pork." The House, Senate and public had no say on the matter.
The latest news on the fees, as reported by a site opposed to the fee program, can be found at Free Our Forests.
SUMMIT POST DISCUSSIONS ON THE FEE PROGRAM SCAM
Adventure Pass-Non-Compliance Notice
Forest Service Run by Thieves
FS to Closer Recreation Sites?
Goodbye to Free Public Lands
Time to Find a New Interest!
This page will continue to report any current news as it is made available.
Camping
Camping in the Holy Cross Wilderness
Photo by SP member Joe Hansen There are many camping opportunities. You can camp at Tigiwon or Halfmoon Campgrounds [near the trailhead]. Just over Half Moon Pass, a few choice camp sites can be found just below treeline, not far from some nice alpine, spring fed streams. If you want to backpack in and basecamp, there is great camping 2.5 miles in on the Halfmoon Trail at East Cross Creek (no campfires allowed, however). There are also a few other isolated spots along the trail west of East Cross Creek.
Awesome camp sites can be found at Patricia Lake, perhaps one of the prettiest places in Colorado. More alpine choices are found above Patricia Lake toward the Bowl of Tears.
Good camping can be found at Lake Constantine in the Fall Creek area, 2.5 miles beyond the turn out for the trail up Notch Mountain (see Halo Ridge & Fall Creek Drainage Variation in the ROUTES section). Other camp sites can be found beyond Lake Constantine. Isolated camps can be set at the Tuhare Lakes, or beyond Fall Creek Pass in the gorgeous Seven Sisters area if your goal is somewhere other than Holy Cross.
Camp spots near tarns can be secured well off trail on the ascent section of Notch Mountain. The tarns are located south of the trail about .5 mile, but are well secluded. Your privacy is assured!
Some people stay at the Notch Mountain Shelter, located south of the mountain's namesake notch and summit. Reports of the condition of this shelter house vary. A bivy sack would be a good idea rather than a tent in this case. Should you decide not to stay in the shelter house, be advised over night weather above timberline in this area can be next to catastrophic and make nightmares calm in comparison.
A long approach, usually used on wilderness treks rather than climbing the mountain, is Cross Creek. The trailhead for this option is located on a switchback early in your drive up the Tigiwon Road. Many camping possibilities are along this long trail that cuts a direct path through the heart of the Holy Cross Wilderness. This is true wilderness camping and you are likely not to see a soul the further in you camp. West approaches to the mountain are possible, but this is not a popular option.
Missouri Lakes, accessed from the Homestake Valley road, is a popular area for camping. Camping at the lower lake is excellent. Alpine camping at the high lake is available.
Camping is excellent at Lake Charles and Mystic Island Lake in the western half of the wilderness, south of Eagle.
Camping is abundant in the Homestake Valley area. National Forest camping spots are located in the valley below the Homestake Reservoir.
See maps in the GETTING THERE section.
Wilderness & Routes Overview
Mount Jackson, in the heart of the Holy Cross Wilderness
As seen from the standard route for the Mount of the Holy Cross Photo by SP member mmoerk The Holy Cross Wilderness is 121,883 acres of paradise. If you love wilderness, you'll love Holy Cross, one of Colorado's finest jewels. A haven for wildlife and pristine waters, solitude can be easily acquired with the simple choice of an obscure destination.
The area is popular, particularly in the East Cross Creek area, because this is where the standard route to the mountain courses through. Missouri Lakes trail is a popular spot, as are most of the trails and lakes accessed from the Homestake Valley. Even so, solitude is just steps away off the beaten path.
The following links are to mountains featured on SummitPost that reside in the Holy Cross Wilderness:
Holy Cross Ridge
Whitney Peak
Notch Mountain
Savage Peak
Fools Peak
Camping, fishing, hiking, hunting, climbing are activities practiced in the wilderness or surrounding area. Close by is a 4WD road considered by many to be Colorado's toughest jeep road. The Como road (approach to the Blanca massif peaks) certainly is a qualifier, but after looking at the pictures submitted by SP member kaner, there's no doubt the Holy Cross City jeep road is the worst (or best, depending on your point of view).
There is no denying that the most valuable resource in the Holy Cross Wilderness is water. A heated conflict over rights to the abundant Holy Cross water continues. Be sure to read the HISTORY & CONTROVERSY section below if you are interested in the future of your wilderness areas.
Below is a list of trails that are recommended for experiencing the true nature of this spectacular place. These trails are illustrated on the maps in the GETTING THERE section above. Most of these trails begin to open in June, but considerable patches of snow will likely be present. Summer flowers and fall foilage are breathtaking. For approximate mileages and gains, refer to the maps in the GETTING THERE section or the appropriate guide book.
HOMESTAKE PEAK
A choice of approaches from the north and south offer a chance of solitude in this southernmost range of the Northern Sawatch.
 
WHITNEY PEAK
Easy Class 1 climb accessed from Fall Creek or Seven Sisters area. Accessed from Tigiwon or Homestake Valley roads.
LAKE CONSTANTINE
Fall Creek drainage, accessed from Tigiwon Road or over Fall Creek Pass from the Homestake Valley road. Great camping. Trail gets soggy above the lake and below the pass.
TUHARE LAKES
Accesed from Tigiwon Road trailhead or Fall Creek Pass from the Homestake Valley Road. Gorgeous! Alpine camping.
 
SEVEN SISTERS
Countless lakes and side trails offer beauty and solitude that will overwhelm you. This is a nice one for x-country or snow shoe outings. Access from the Homestake Valley road.
 
MISSOURI LAKES
A real jewel of Holy Cross, this popular area has three large alpine lakes in a stunning setting. The trail is easy and gorgeous. Excellent option for x-country or snow shoe. The trail gets soggy during melt off. Swollen spring streams and summer flowers are spectacular. Remote and rugged Savage Peak can be climbed from this area. Connects with the Fancy Pass and Cross Creek trails. The trailhead shares a common area with the Fancy Pass trailhead. An optional trailhead 3/4 of a mile further up the slightly rougher road cuts off 1.5 miles of round trip hiking. Access from the Homestake Valley road.
   
FANCY PASS
Accesed via the Fancy Pass trailhead, the route winds through dense forest and then climbs in steep fashion to Fancy Lake and ultimately Fancy Pass, a narrow saddle doorway into the heart of the Holy Cross Wilderness. Descending west from the past, the trail connects with the Cross Creek and Missouri Pass (and lakes) trails. The spectacular Fancy Creek has carved a deep and narrow gorge that must be seen to be believed. Access from the Homestake Valley road.
Panorama of Mount of the Holy Cross from Mount Jackson, in the heart of the Holy Cross Wilderness
Photo by SP member Conelpyat CROSS CREEK
North trailhead is on the Tigiwon road. This trail cuts through the heart of the wilderness on a southward course. The trail journeys through the deep solitude of lush meadows and wetlands nestled between the Mount of the Holy Cross and Mount Jackson. Likely soggy in the spring. One possible terminus for a one way, multiday trek is to hike over the saddle into the Missouri Lakes basin. Another is over Fancy Pass into the Fancy Creek drainage.
 
LAKE CHARLES/MYSTIC ISLAND LAKE
Accessed from the town of Eagle. An easy and pleasant stroll through a forest puts you at Lake Charles. Can be soggy in spots. An additional easy half mile puts you at solitary Mystic Island Lake. Both lakes are popular fishng spots. Excellent fall or summer time option. A recent mountain addition to SP that is accessed via this option is Fools Peak.
Additional trail suggestions are welcome! Please post your suggestion in this section and it will be integrated on the page and the maps will be updated to illustrate your route! History & ControversyThe history of Holy Cross is very interesting and colorful. Consider the changes that have taken place as you read the following. Yet, Holy Cross itself remains unchanged...but how long will this be so?
The first printed account of seeing Holy Cross from Grays Peak was made in 1869. The legendary photo by William H. Jackson was taken in 1873, and the mountain was instantly famous. The mountain west of Holy Cross was named in honor of Jackson.
Jackson admitted to well known climber Carl Blaurock in the1930s that he had touched up the right arm of the cross for contrast purposes, but the actual plate was not significantly altered. Suggestions that the cross is deteriorating due to erosion continue. A more realistic tack is snow deposits vary year to year, and the fading cross is the result of increasingly dry winters.
A flurry of mining activity happened around what is now the wilderness area. The nearest minng camp was Holy Cross City, which had a number of gold fever periods before finally shutting down for good in the late 1920s. The town is now just a site, accessed on a road regarded by many as Colorado's toughest 4WD trail. This road offers a south access to the bulk of the wilderness area. It is cared for by some 4WD clubs, and is the only 4WD road near the wilderness boundary.
An act of Congress, H.R. 73339, abolished the Holy Cross area as a monument on August 3, 1950. Administration in 1950 was under the jurisdiction of Rocky Mountain National Park. Less than 50 people visited the area per year and maintenence of a ranger station there was not justified (how things have changed!). The climb was too long and strenuous for most folks (still is) to the shelter house atop Notch Mountain.
On April 2, 1997, Captain Craig Button crashed his bomber plane into Gold Dust Peak, west of the Mount of the Holy Cross. Retreival of parts and explosives happened after wreckage was spotted on the mountain fom the air a year later.
A WILDERNESS IN TROUBLE
In 1967, Colorado Springs and Aurora completed a water tunnel under the Continental Divide to divert water from the southern arm of the wilderness to their locations. This was Phase 1 of the Homestake Project. Phase 2 would involve boring under the mountains deeper into the bulk of the wilderness to remove water from the Cross Creek drainages, including direct taps into Patricia Lake and the Bowl of Tears. Impacts on the wilderness were not addressed. Debate and lawsuits exploded in the wake of strong environmental concern in the late 1980s.
Controversy and lawsuits continue today. The Holy Cross Wilderness Defense Fund and the Sierra Club continue lengthy legal battles to save the wilderness from water diversion plans. This page's maintainer got involved with the battle in 1989 (see TRIP REPORTS). The Holy Cross situation could be precedent setting for other wilderness areas, perhaps your favorite one!
A special report has been submitted. If you are interested in the welfare of the wilderness, be sure to visit the TRIP REPORTS section and read the report: Holy Cross Water: A Wilderness in Trouble.
Material researched from "Holy Cross: The Mountain and the City" by Robert L. Brown. This is an excellent book, but probably hard to find.
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